Swimming pool covers are typically exposed to high levels of Ultra Violet (UV) radiation and chemical attack. GeoBubble is a material designed specifically for this environment, making the cover more resistant to these attacks and enabling a longer lifespan.
To understand the science of GeoBubble, it helps to look at the traditional bubble material used for pool covers. Originally their design was developed and adapted from the packaging industry, which is a high-volume, low-quality packaging bubble material with a short lifespan. Because of this, traditional bubbles have several inherent weaknesses in their design, including thin points and high residual stress areas. Thin points in a bubble design create weak points which are quickly broken down by UV rays and chemical attack. The degradation process is accelerated in areas of high stress as these areas are under constant strain. This results in the bubble material breaking down and will ultimately cause the premature failure of the pool cover. This is because of the inherent weakness within the bubble design produced by stress created in the material during manufacture. The angular profile of the traditional bubble design mould forces the material to move against the polymers natural flow characteristics applying stress which results in a thinning of the material and areas of high residual stress.
The GeoBubble has been designed to elevate these stresses during the moulding of the bubble profile. The geometric bubble allows the material to be formed without fighting the polymers rheological properties resulting in a material with a more uniform thickness, minimising the residual stress within the polymer structure. What makes GeoBubble materials unique?
The GeoBubble design has a much larger surface area than most traditional bubble materials to allow for expansion of air within the bubble shape. The stiff waistline section ensures the bubble is strong enough to hold expanding air and will not stretch or burst under increased pressure. The large footprint also acts as an insulator, so the heat generated is also retained in the pool water. Furthermore, it helps the cover stick to or grip the water so it cannot be blown off the pool or lift in high winds, something that can lead to abrasive damage to the cover.